


Wildest Dreams

by Bremmatron33



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 01:46:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6066025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bremmatron33/pseuds/Bremmatron33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cute Bumblebee and Knock Out fluff.  Knock Out gets hurt. Secrets are revealed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wildest Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked my other story All I want to Do then you'll probably like this one maybe.

Bumblebee panted slightly as he ran up the crumbling stairs to the top of the building. He hadn’t been out of the HQ in what felt like years thanks to the winter rains and now that it was becoming the dry season they would finally be able to get some work done again and Bumblebee could finally have some fun again!

Behind him he could hear Smokescreen griping about Bee being a cheater for taking four steps at a time. Bee couldn’t care. Busting through the roof entrance Bumblebee threw his fists in the air in triumph as the sun beamed down from between the buildings of the city. He was too busy looking out at the dilapidated but still mesmerising cityscape of Iacon to hear his teammate demand another race.

“It’s not fair and you know it! Knock Out taught you all of his free running and other medic fighting techniques last dry season. How am I supposed to keep up with you acrobatic freaks?”

Bee couldn’t help but laugh, “Medic fighting techniques? They’re just Knock Out’s techniques. Could you imagine seeing Ratchet doing the stuff Knock Out does?”

“No but you know what I meant! We’re warriors we just run at other mechs guns blazing, Knock Out pretends to run away only to suddenly fall from the sky to decapitate you! How is that fair?”

“Well he did work with mostly fliers during the war. Dropping in off of a building is as about as good of an aerial attack as a grounder can get. Not to mention his work with the gestalts, Knock Out told me he was used to scaling mechs that were bigger than him. Not an innuendo, even though I’m sure he’s good at that too.”

“Dude stop torturing yourself it’s never going to happen.”

“You don’t know! Maybe Knock Out wants something different in his life this time around!”

“I meant your sudden growth spurt. You’re going to be a little bumblebee for the rest of your life. Speaking of Knock Out where is he?”

“Probably scavenging, he’ll catch up with us eventually.”

“We lost him almost five buildings back are you sure we shouldn’t just stop?”

“I’ll comm him but I’m telling you he always does this when we go out. I lose him in the city and the next thing I know I find him digging through a pile of corpses like some wild animal!” Bumblebee called into his communicator regardless. “Hey Knock Out, all good?” Bumblebee waited for a response, none came. “Knock Out?” Bee called a little louder Knock Out had a nasty habit of turning his audials down and sometimes he even played music through his systems. It made the medic hard to reach sometimes.

“What’s wrong?” Bee vented a sigh of relief, even with his faith in the medics skill silence was never a good sign.

“You find anything good?”

“Autobot med outpost. They abandoned it without clearing it out. Really loving this infinity subspace Wheeljack made me now.”

“They didn’t try to salvage anything? Maybe you shouldn’t be in there.”

“I know why they left, buildings full of scraplets.”

“GET OUT OF THERE!” Bumblebee could hear the medic laughing on his end.

“Don’t worry Bee. Scraplets can’t do much to me I have my staff.”

“GET. OUT. OF. THERE. NOW!” Bumblebee couldn’t stop the slight shriek in his voice. Was the ex-Con actually crazy? Apparently so because he was still laughing off being in a building infested with scraplets!

“I’m just going to finish collecting anything that isn’t degraded and then I’ll come meet you.”

“JUST GET OUT OF THERE!” Bee could feel his spark crackling from the thought alone, for someone who hated getting hurt Knock Out sure loved to be reckless.

“Goodbye Bumblebee.” Knock Out cut his connection Bee slumped his frame and sighed loudly.

“What was that about?” Smokescreen looked at Bee questioningly.

“He’s fine. Just the building he’s searching is infested and he doesn’t seem to think that it’s a big deal! He loves scraplets so much. He’s such a freak sometimes.”

“He would.” Smokescreen shook the chill from his circuits. “You’ve seen the ones he keeps in the med bay right? I can’t believe Ultra Magnus just lets that slide!”

“Those are special. Saprophytic or something for medical treatments. As long as Knock Out keeps them fed their supposedly harmless but like I actually believe that! I’ve actually seen Knock Out take one out and play with it.”

“Wait that doesn’t explain why he’s not scared of normal scraplets!”

“Think about it, someone has to specialize them. Knock Out went through tons of the things during the plague outbreak. Had to comb abandoned buildings multiple times to collect the things. He’s had the ones on the Nemesis for so long, they’re like his pets.”

“Dude needs a new hobby.”

“Oh he has other hobbies like skull carving and making decorative sculptures containing bits of mechs he’s murdered over the years.”

“Aaaaaaaaaand you have a crush on him. So what does that make you?”

“I don’t condone his hobbies!”

“Uh-huh sure you don’t, at least not now but wait a while soon you’ll be digging through corpse piles and sawing off dead guy’s servos for your own weird collection!”

Bumblebee and Smokescreen found a comfortable place and took a rest to wait for the errant medic. Getting bored rather quickly the two went back down the stairs to better explore the building. It had been an apartment complex and from the looks of it a pretty swanky one. As they broke into room after room both boys found themselves picking up some souvenirs and trying to keep themselves busy.

“Yo dude do you think this is energex or weird medicine?” Smokescreen held up a large decanter full of bright creamy opalescent liquid. Bee looked over at the mech from the bookshelf he had been rummaging through and immediately raised his optic ridge at the sight of the decanter.

“Have you even seen energex? It’s pink.” Bee went back to perusing the titles, nothing looked interesting. Except for a crumbling hard copy of “Towards Peace”. “Holy scrap look at this thing!”

“What.” Smokescreen had uncorked the decanter and was trying to determine if the liquid inside was safe to drink. Bee held up the book. Smokescreen scowled at him. “An old book, yawn.”

“Yeah not just any old book Megatron’s book so double yawn.” Bee cracked open the merged pages and tried to find and amusing paragraph to read to Smokescreen. He found something else instead. “Well Smokescreen let me tell you whoever’s apartment this is they sure loved minibots!” Bee shut the book and rammed it back in with the others. “Wow yeah I am never going to unsee those images.”

“Aw dude are you serious, you find smut pics and that makes you shove the book back where you found it? Were they any good?”

“The minibots didn’t look like they were having much fun.”

“Oh ew. That makes taking this slaggers scrap all the easier!” Smokescreen held the decanter up triumphantly before taking a long swig. Bee stared at him in horror.

“SMOKESCREEN SERIOUSLY? You could die!”

“Oh calm down medic’s pet! “

“Alright fine drink what you want but don’t even play, if Knock Out were here he would be encouraging you to chug the damn stuff in hopes that it would dissolve you from the inside out!”

“I don’t know tastes pretty good to me.” Smokescreen took another swig just to spite Bee.

“Yeah most poisons usually do.”

“Whatever worry wheels!”

After a few hours of that they rested again this time to refuel as they waited. Lazing about on the dilapidated furniture with full tanks made both mechs relaxed and drowsy. The two sat in silence for some time before Smokescreen called out to Bee.

“Hey Bee guess what?”

“What?”

“Can you guess who’s still not dead?”

“Yet. Did that stuff do anything to you?”

“Yeah. You know what it made me really horny, still am.”

“Yeah, didn’t….need to know that Smokescreen.”

“ What you asked! Boy is my junk is throbbing so hard right now.”

“Smokescreen!”

“Like so bad, even after all this time!”

“SMOKESCREEN!”

“Not only that but I found something to give to Knock Out. So I’m going to go find our naughty medic and give it to him just to screw with you...and maybe get a blow job because I’m going to slip into recharge if I don’t do something…..so peace!” Smokescreen rolled off the couch he had been lying on and broke into a run down the main hallway.

“You SLAGGER!” Bumblebee fell hard onto the floor as he tried to roll off the chair he had sprawled out on but quickly got to his peds in time as to not lose sight of Smokescreen. “You don’t even know where he is!”

Smokescreen looked back to see Bee about half a hallway behind. “Good point dude I’m going to call him!”

“NO!”

Smokescreen dialed in Knock Out’s frequency and screamed into his comm. “Ay yo Knock Out where are you?” The smile on his face widening as her heard the soft echo of Bumblebee also trying to get the medics attention. Unfortunately Knock Out didn’t answer either of them. Smokescreen tried again. “Come on Doc, turn your audials on or I am going to jump scare the scrap out of you when I find you!” He had been a lot louder this time but still got nothing except the echo of whatever Bumblebee was screaming into his comm. Then something caught his attention, Smokescreen came to a full stop letting Bumblebee crash into him. He turned to the smaller mech now on the floor. “Dude did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Bumblebee glared up at him with fiery optics.

“That weird...kind of wet...grinding noise.”

“No, Smokescreen stop screwing around!”

“I’m not I swear open the link and just listen!”

Bee scowled at the other mech but opened the link anyway. It took some straining to hear but in the background was a faint panting and screeching or metal. “OH MY PRIMUS HE’S BEING EATEN!” Bee jumped to his peds and hugged himself as his spark crackled and surged violently. “THE SCRAPLETS GOT HIM!”

“We don’t know that!”

“Well what else could it be?”

“I don’t know but but we sure as the Pit won’t find him just standing here.”

“I’m not going in that med outpost Smoky, I’m not going to do it!”

“I know, I know! I don’t want to go in there either but maybe we won’t have to let’s just call base to get his location first.”

“Ok.” Bee was venting erratically and shaking so hard that his plates were rattling so Smokescreen pushed the smaller Bot to the floor and commed base himself.

“Smokescreen to base, Smokescreen to base! We lost Knock Out and the idiot’s not answering his comm can you mark his location on our maps?”

“Are you sure he didn’t run off to leave you two to rust?” Wheeljack’s gruff voice called back to him.

“Dude it’s been months just get over whatever issue you have with KO already because he’s not going anywhere.” Wheeljack laughed at Smokescreen’s jab.

“No issues here but I won’t stop warning you boys, Knock Out’s loyalty has a faster decay rate than Uranium. It’s not good for you to get so attached to him.”

“Uhh I might not have been forged to be a chemist but I’m pretty sure Knock Out’s already lasted that long. Come on Wheeljack we think he’s injured and Bee’s freaking out.”

“Give me a click.” Smokescreen sighed, every moment they wasted could mean one more moment of excruciating pain for Knock Out. “Are you guys in a building?”

“Yeah.”

“Then from the looks of it he’s five floors down. Get your optics checked if you can lose a bright slagger that easily.” Wheeljack cut the link. Smokescreen felt his spark go cold. Knock Out wasn’t getting eaten alive by scraplets, he was getting eaten alive by something in the building that they were all in!

Smokescreen turned to Bee. “Alright I have some good news and some bad news.”

“What?”

“Well good news is we don’t have to go to the med outpost.” Bee’s optics lit back up as he nodded. The rattling of the younger mechs plates becoming softer and softer. “Bad news is, according to Wheeljack Knock Out’s only five floors down.”

Bee’s face fell and all of a sudden the younger mech jumped to his peds and kicked at the wall. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah why?”

“Because we’re dealing with Knock Out that’s why! He’s trying to play a trick on us! He knows we’re both terrified of scraplets so he’s trying to make us think we have to go the med outpost to save him! He probably didn’t think we’d even bother calling base. We would have gone all the way to the outpost gone inside and then he would have commed us and said that he was nowhere near the outpost and then he would have gotten us back here to scare the slag out of us!”

“Oh wow, dick move!”

“I know! Let’s go down there and scare him to death!”

“We should definitely do that who does he think he is trying to scare us?

With newfound fervor the boys headed downward making a quick round on each floor for any sign of the cherry medic. Finally getting to the floor Wheeljack had suggested the two went into stealth mode but as they snuck around the landing they found no sign of Knock Out anywhere.

“Dude if he is walking around trying to pull some classic horror on us I am going to slap him in the face the moment I see him!”

“I feel you, Knock Out’s spent most of his life learning how to be scary. It’s totally not cool to pull that slag on us now that we’re friends.”

“Quiet dude I think I hear him.”

“Ok, ok, comm him.

Smokescreen opened the frequency. “Hey Knock Out were almost at the med outpost. We freaked out when you didn’t answer us so we came to get you.” Smokescreen listened closely and could distinctly hear the echo of his own words somewhere ahead of him.

“Dude we so got him!” The two high fived before slinking back down to creep around the corner. A moment later the two jumped into the open and found nothing but a pile of rended metal where the floor above had collapsed.

“By the Allspark what is he trying to pull?” Something moving suddenly caught Smokescreen’s attention. “Wait here Bee I’m going to check on something.” Smokescreen moved slowly around the obstruction till he found a pair of glowing optics, much too small to be Knock Out’s. He knelt down and called to whatever it was and a sleek slightly mangey turbofox jumped out from the hole in the pile and growled. “Hey little guy no problem here.” Smokescreen reached out slowly and gently pet the animal, scratching at its audial for good measure. The turbofox chittered and nuzzled at Smokescreens palm before darting off to a corner to grab something. With whatever the creature wanted now secured in its jaws it slowly made its way back to Smokescreen. “Found yourself a tasty treat little guy? The turbofox rubbed his frame against Smokescreens leg before settling down to chew at his prize. Out of the corner of his optic Smokescreen caught a good glimpse of the metal in the animal’s mouth, and his spark went cold. “Bee?”

“What is it can I move now?”

“Yeah come here. I think something might be wrong.”

* * *

 

 

“I am telling you we dug through the entire pile and this is all we found!”

“And I am telling you Smokescreen that a fully formed protoform does not just disappear! What even is this thing? I swear if this is some sort of joke the three of you cooked up I am telling you right now it is not funny!” Ratchet shook the large hunk of glowing crystal as he glared down at Bumblebee and Smokescreen.

Bee looked up at the medic with pleading optics. “I swear Ratchet we don’t know what happened. We commed Knock Out, he didn’t answer. When we finally went to the spot where Wheeljack told us to go we found a spot where the ceiling caved in! After finding Knock Out’s door getting chewed on we searched through the rubble. We only found that crystal, bits of Knock Out’s chassis and his infinity subspace! That’s it!”

“He couldn’t have just disappeared!”

“That’s what I said so me and Bulk took a second look, nada Doc this is all that’s left.”

“Maybe another creature dragged him off somewhere!”

“There was no energon trail, no energon at all! Not even on the parts of his armor!”

“The Doctor is right you must have overlooked something! You simply didn’t look hard enough!”

“Umm Ratchet, Ultra Magnus Sir. I don’t think so. I just clicked on Knock Out’s spark frequency and it says it’s in this room. Right where Ratchet’s standing actually.” Everyone turned to look at Raf who was fiddling with the Nemesis’ computers. As the medic moved towards to computers to get a better look Knock Out’s dot moved as well. Ratchet stopped in his tracks and held the hunk of glowing crystal up to get a better look.

“If the computer isn’t glitched out than the only explainable reasoning is that somehow Knock Out’s spark is embedded in this crystal! But how is that possible?” Ratchet looked to Wheeljack and then to Magnus but both mechs looked back at Ratchet just as confused.

“Do you really think one of these dorks are going to have the answer?” Miko called out from her perch on Bulkhead’s shoulder. “Knock Out was a Con, so you need to call a Con!”

“Miko we can’t just call a Con like it’s nothing!”

“Why not you’re living in their abandoned ship Starscream’s digits have to be in there somewhere.” Ratchet looked at the computer, the young girl had a point, it was highly plausible that the computer had stored frequencies but who to call?

“Alright I’ll try Miko’s idea. But by the pit if I’m calling Starscream! We took our sweet time coaxing Soundwave out of the Shadow zone, he owes us a favor.” Ratchet dug through the computer’s history till he found what he was looking for. Dialing in to the correct frequency Ratchet was greeted by the deep raspy voice of Soundwave.

“Speak quickly, little patience.”

“Don’t give me that slag we more than helped you, now it’s time to return the favor. Something’s wrong with Knock Out.”

“What a waste of a good favor, you are the Doctor Ratchet.”

“HE’S NOT INJURED! He’s….gone, disappeared,..dead.”

“A nearly impossible task. How did you manage to screw up that badly.”

“WE DIDN’T, HE DID!”

There was a long pause on Soundwaves end. “Did you find a large glowing red gem?”

“How did you know that?”

“I will call Shockwave and inform him of the situation. He will call you. You can choose what to do from there. Never call me again Ratchet.” Soundwave cut the link and Ratchet stared at the computer in frustration.

“Are you serious?” The old medic ranted at nothing. “I can’t believe I had to waste that on something as stupid as this!” Ratchet paced around the room angrily, at some point Bumblebee stole the crystal from the older mech’s servos and cradled it gently in his own servos. Ten minutes or so later the computer beeped and a video messenger popped up. A very staticky Shockwave stared at the group.

“Did you crack his spark?” The scientist wasted no time.

“What are you talking about Shockwave?” Ratchet stopped his pacing to stare angrily back at the one eyed mech.

“The crystal, is it cracked?”

“No, it’s fine.” Bee looked up from the gem in his servos.

“Bring it closer, let me see it.” Bumblebee walked forward and held the gem up to the screen. Shockwave held his servo up, desire in his optic. “He will be fine. Pour some energon on the crystal tonight and do so every third cycle till the Doctor returns. Do not be alarmed if he comes back changed, he will be mostly the same.”

“What?” Ratchet grabbed the crystal from Bee and shook it at the screen. “This is a rock, we are not wasting supplies on a rock unless you give us a better explanation than whatever half-afted slag that was. Pouring energon on a piece of crystal, have all you Cons finally lost it?

“Please refrain from that.” Shockwave leaned into the screen as if he was trying desperately to reach through it. “For you to understand I must start at the beginning. I thought you were busy mechs.”

“Not that busy. What is the meaning of this nonsense Shockwave!” The more careless with the crystal Ratchet was, the more agitated Shockwave got. Too busy following the Doctor’s movements to answer his questions. Bee once again pried the glowing gem from Ratchet’s servo and held it close to his chest with a sigh. Shockwave also seemed relieved.

“It started in my lab. Quite some time ago back when the war was still raging on Cybertron, I was working on experiments for Lord Megatron. One cycle I was scanning for Autobot signals and messages but I overheard something completely different. The voice of a femm very close to my position, she was talking in some sort of of strange language and seemed very agitated. I went out to dispatch her and succeeded but after riddling her frame with a few bullets something strange happened. She simply vanished.

I looked around the area where she had stood and found nothing but a dark purple crystal. With my curiosity piqued I took the crystal back with me and a few hours later as I was examining some samples the gem suddenly began to glow and levitate. The light then solidified and a strange femm stood in the space, a dark purple gem embedded in her chest. Something organic looking but at the same time...not. She was larger than your Arcee but much smaller than I was and she sparkled in the light and was see through in some parts of her body. As soon as she saw me she pulled out her weapon as if from thin air. We fought. She was very strong for something so small, she was able to lift me over her head and toss me into my equipment with ease. I was too intrigued by her to continue fighting. When I would not fight back she then screamed at me for disturbing her work. In perfect Neocybex. I asked her what she meant. She told me she had been sent to our planet to find out if it was worth colonising. She had implanted some sort of solution into pockets of metal and was waiting to see if they were fruitful. I had interrupted her. Once we had both calmed down she introduced herself as Taaffeite. A warrior sent to protect another of her kind but sadly they had perished. Taaffeite carried on with the experiment. Rather enamoured by her zeal I abandoned my own projects to help her. The specimens did not survive, she told me then and there that Cybertron was dying. I was alarmed but she told me that it was a long ways away. However it made Cybertron a bad candidate for her kinds desires, another strike against the planet. The first being the dangerous populace. With her mission completed she thanked me for my kindness and said that by tomorrow she would be gone. She was still there the next morning, and the next, then the next. I asked her if something was wrong with her communications but she looked at me and asked if I wouldn’t mind a partner to study with. She was just as fascinated by me as I was by her.

Taaffeite was ingenious and I appreciated her view on many of my projects. One cycle my lab was raided and she was caught in the crossfire. It took some time for her to reform but when she did she came back as something much more...Cybertronian. She told me that it was simply so she could blend in now that she had committed to living on our planet. However I knew it was something more, we shared the same desire. To merge our species. We started our experiment that night. She searched through my supplies and managed to find a ten sparks I had rescued a long time ago from the forges and had kept away for specific projects. I was hesitant at first. These were fairly strong sparks and while I wanted the project to succeed I had to face that failure would mean the loss of this precious resource. We chose to only use four of the sparks. Combining our methods we created a set of hybrid Cybertronians. Four near immortal creatures that would grow up to be unaffected by the diseases that plagued our species and would be much larger and more stable than hers.

However just as we perish when the light of our spark is snuffed out her kind die when the gems that hold their forms together crack to pieces. I found this out the hard way when Taaffeite’s crystal was ground under some Autobot’s heel. I swept up the pieces and waited in hopes of her reforming but she never returned. I did my best to put her death out of my processor, it wasn’t hard for me as you might imagine but still her presence was sorely missed in my life.

I had long since sent our first creations out to fight for Lord Megatron and had moved on to other projects but in the wake of her death I decided to create one more hybrid. Megatron had been complaining quite frequently about the lack of reliable medics. So I created Knock Out. A scientific treasure, a perfect amalgamation of two of the strongest creatures in the known universe. He is the last of his kind, his siblings snuffed some time ago. If you do not feel comfortable taking care of him I can come get him.”

“That won’t be necessary Shockwave I am sure we can manage! Goodbye.” Ratchet cut the feed abruptly. The scientist story had been going on for far too long and Ratchet was still unconvinced. “Is it just me or does anyone else agree that that was a load of hot slag!” The medic turned to the group his laugh dying in his vocaliser. “What am I the only one?”

“It’s pretty damn farfetched but what other explanation do we have Doc? Soundwave wasn’t even surprised and even asked you about the crystal and you have to admit we’ve created some pretty weird Bots ourselves during the war.”

“Yes but his story is preposterous! Sentient crystalline beings! We’ve been through galaxies and never come across any beings even slightly resembling the femm Shockwave described! When we find inorganic sentient life they are usually cybernetic like ourselves! If these femms did exist and one just happened to come in contact with Shockwave then how did they fuel up, how did they sustain their form, how was a being made supposedly from light alone able to not only fight but win against one of us! It’s just absurd!”

“You guys are giant transforming robots! Are you serious Ratchet? We didn’t think you were possible before we met you! Just because some alien gem babe got freaky in a lab with Shockwave instead of parading herself around; when she was clearly thinking of trying to take over your planet; doesn’t mean that she wasn’t real!” Miko was standing unsteadily now hopping around excitedly as she tried to get her point across. “ All the evidence points to Knock Out being some sort of weird….alien hybrid! How can you not think that’s cool!”

“Forgive me if I don’t take the word of some Con seriously, but you both have a point I suppose. It’s the only information we have to go off on. If Shockwave’s information somehow proves useful we can ask Knock Out about it more once he’s healed up. Bumblebee, hand him over.”

Bee clutched the gem tighter in response. “I...uhm….it’s not really a medical issue. Not really, so I was wondering if I could just...keep him with me?” It wasn’t that Bee didn’t trust Ratchet but it was clear that the mech might have trouble taking the medics rehabilitation seriously..

“He’s not a pet Bee, if that really is Knock Out he deserves to be in the care of a real physician!”

“Yeah but….I’ll make sure he’s fine so just...please?” Bumblebee stared up at Ratchet with pleading optics till the older mech waved him away.

“Fine, just remember whatever nonsense Shockwave told you to do. I’ll stay here on the Nemesis till...something happens or doesn’t as will be the more likely option.”

A week later Bumblebee was starting to think Ratchet was right. “Any change?” Smokescreen crashed down on Bumblebee’s berth and plucked the crystal from the small pool of energon Bee had placed it in.

“No but last night I had a nightmare that I accidentally hit it off the desk and it cracked and then Knock Out’s spirit came out of it and yelled at me for being a screwup.”

“That’s rough dude, I don’t think you need to worry that hard Bee. I think this thing is meant to take a beating. I don’t see why Ratchet thinks it’s such a crazy idea. It’s just like a spark casing if you think about it.”

“Yeah I’m with you on that. All of this explains why he was so freaked out about getting injured, I don’t know what I would have done if this ever happened when we were enemies.Oh Primus now I can’t stop thinking about how I let the kids hit him with that train!”

“Don’t worry Bee KO’s a cold blooded killer I’m sure he’ll only murder you in your recharge after you’ve had a wonderful fully established and fulfilling life together.”

“Thanks Smokescreen, really makes me feel good about that.”

“Always here to help.”

“I just wish he would hurry up already, the crystal soaks up a lot of energon and Ratchet’s already giving me dirty looks! I’m afraid he’s going to cut me off soon.”

“Maybe it’s because he’s going to evolve into something awesome like a dinobot or like….a dinobot.”

“Evolve? He’s not a character from one of your games Smokescreen! Also that doesn’t sound like Knock Out’s style to me. He might become like a triple changer though. That would be so cool!”

“What if he becomes a plane? I think he’d be hot all tall and lanky. Embrace that Decepticon background and rise above it or whatever slag.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. He won’t be able to race with us is he’s an aerial!”

“Yes he can….he’ll just always win. All I’m saying is we could probably use a friendly flier.”

Bumblebee huffed and pouted. Smokescreen was right, having an aerial would be useful. Bee really hoped Knock Out wouldn’t think about that though. He didn’t like the idea of Knock Out being able to just fly off whenever he felt like it.

Another week passed. Halfway along Ratchet refused to give Bee any energon and only the synthen everyone else got. The next day he demanded that Bee hand over the crystal Bee refused and ran away. Held up in an abandoned and crumbling apartment complex with nothing but slightly stale rations he had long ago horded when he was back on earth the young warrior laid on a slightly rusty berth and held the warm crystal close to his chest. Ratchet couldn’t be right he just COULDN’T! It didn’t make any sense if he was! Bee had followed Shockwave’s instructions! Pit he went beyond them. He took the crystal wherever he went, kept him safe and warm wrapped in cloth in his subspace, he talked to it every click of the cycle non-stop, and in the mornings he took it out and let the crystal bask in warmth of the sun. Bee even took Knock Out to the movies! The first weekend when he dropped Raf home the two stole away to the drive-in to see some old movie. Bee couldn’t help but ooh and ahh at all the ancient space effects and actions scenes and Raf laughed at all the cheesy dialogue. Bee figured the bounty hunter and his weird hairy friend would have been Knock Out’s favorite characters. Bee had done so much! So why was Knock Out taking so long!

Bee flopped back on the berth and groaned. There was nothing he could do to make it go any faster so all Bee could do was hope that his rations lasted. Bored of the recharge room Bumblebee sat up and sighed into his knees. “You want to go see what we can find?” The walk cleared his processor but not the static building in his spark.

By the end of the week Bee had found a pretty decent apartment. Not only did it have tons of abiet stale energon stored in a safe hidden in the floor but it also had a working video player; not to mention movies! Cybertronian movies! Bee had never had the chance to see one and wondered if they were just as bad as old human movies. Bee quickly found out they were worse. That or the mech who had previously owned the apartment just had bad taste. “Have you ever seen a Cybertronian movie Knock Out? Probably not. I always assumed that you were older than me by the way you acted but I guess you’re not. Well...your sparks older I guess but not the rest of you.” Bee laid sprawled out on the large couch as he stared at the muted screen. The subtitles going by too fast for him to really care. He didn’t know why he was being so cautious as if someone was going to find him. There was no one else on the planet and if it was one of his friends they were going to find him whether Bee liked it or not. He supposed old habits just died hard. Bee didn’t really care either way the movie he had picked tonight was some forbidden love comedy. A medic falling in love with some gladiator and having to hide their relationship. Bee couldn’t help find it boring though he supposed it might have been quite edgy back in its time.

Another two cycles later and Bumblebee found himself pulling a Smokescreen. Why were all these slaggers so loaded; Iacon was the capitol but still! After digging around in the safe again Bumblebee managed to find a key that he found went to an even bigger safe hidden behind a painting on the wall in the washrack. It was filled with energex and what Bee could only assume were other liqueurs. In the safe he also found a camcorder and stuffed in a junk drawer he found the charger. Already on the card was a video of two mechs together. They just talked to the camera about themselves. Hi-shine and Strut Snapper. Bee recognised Hi-shine immediately as the mech from the love story and a few other films he had watched. An actor. Bee assumed it was his apartment. Strut Snapper didn’t talk much he just held the smaller mech as closely as he could. As Bee drank energex and watched the two cry and beg and hold each other as artillery fire went on in the background he couldn’t find it in his spark to feel bad for them. He knew he should but he couldn’t. Why did they get to live in this cushy apartment surrounded by their own vanity while others had to suffer and die on the street! How many mechs might have begged them for refuge, how many died that day because bourgeois slaggers like them didn’t care about what was happening around them till it was right at their door? Bee knew he shouldn’t judge and that they certainly had their own struggles but still the whole thing left his spark feeling poisoned with hate.

Half a bottle later and Bee had erased the video on the card and had turned the camera on himself. After a good few hours of nonsensical venting Bee watched the footage back for no reason. The sound of his own angry voice and even worse his own beeps and whirs through most of the rant made him cringe. What a stupid idea. Bee downed another fourth of the energex and tossed the camera to the table. Wanting something that wasn’t sappy or political Bee tossed in the first horror film he found. It was hilarious. “Now I know why you like these so much!” He beeped and whirred at the gem in his servos.

A call from Bulkhead woke him up in the middle of the night. “Alright Bee it’s been long enough. I know you’re upset but you can’t stay out forever! If what Shockwave said was real, if he really is some hybrid that means he’s an experiment Bee!” Bulkhead paused as his tone changed. “Decepticon experiments...don’t always hold up so good. Just tell me you’re doing ok.”

“I’m doing fine~ Bulk! Best time of my life.”

“Are you drunk?” You’re clicking at me.”

Bee couldn’t help but purr into his comm. He loved how deep and raspy Bulkhead’s voice was. “So. Much. Fun.”

Bee heard Bulkhead sigh and say something he thought was out of range of his comm. “Primus Jackie ruined you two.” Bulkhead brought his comm closer. “Do you at least have enough fuel for yourself?”

“There are like twenty different colors and I want to try them all.”

“Alright. I’ll give you till the end of the deca-cycle and then if you don’t come home I’m coming to get you are we clear?”

“Thanks Bulk~.”

“Yeah. Stay safe you little rebel. You better hope Knock Out actually pops out of that thing because you really fried Magnus’ circuits.”

“Screw him! Shourlderstruts the size of a minicon. He can eat my aft.”

“You also scared the scrap out of Ratchet.”

“M’serry” Bee was so tired, why did liquor make him tired?”

“It’s alright he gets it. Just…...stay safe and…..take what I said to spark. I know it’s hard...getting all this way to be snuffed by a stupid accident but….it happens. Bee it happens, and sometimes there’s nothing you can do.”

“Gd’night Bulk.”

“Night Bee.”

Tired of the now uncomfortable couch Bee found a clean pot, grabbed some energon, and went to the bedroom. Bee placed Knock Out’s crystal in the pot and poured the energon over it. He even poured the last fourth of the energex over the gem as well. “Shhhhh. Know one has to no you’re underaged. I won’t tell.”

Another three days went by and Bee recharged through them; the painful static seizing his spark like a vice. What if it took Knock Out months to regenerate and they didn’t know because Ratchet didn’t let Shockwave finish? What if he finally did come back but it was like a crappy movie and he had no memory! What if he not only changed in appearance and in personality and he suddenly decided that he hated Bee? What if he actually was gone? Knock Out was made by Shockwave. Even as messed up as the scientist was did he care about Knock Out; like really care? Even if he didn’t at least he believed in Knock Out! If worse came to worse and the week ended at least he could find Shockwave. Yeah. Good plan. Bee watched the red gems light grow and fade for some time before retrieving it from its pot. He haphazardly wrapped it in a thermal sheet and held the lump close and cuddled it to his face. “It’s ok Knock Out. I know you’re picky. Take all the time you need.”

Another night on the couch, another hilarious horror movie. Still it did almost nothing for his dim spark. Things like this weren’t really fun without someone to share it with. Bee sighed as he capped off decanter of dark blue liquid. It had tasted like cobalt and it was way too bitter for his liking. His processor hummed and his spark thrummed warm and hazy; Knock Out in his arms. “Tomorrow definitely tomorrow.” Bee’s engine warbled as he slipped into recharge.

 

Bee woke up with a start to a circuit noodler chewing on his digitips. The creature’s electrified fangs sent painful shocks up his servo. “What the Pit man!” The creature pawed playfully at Bee’s servo before side winding back to the thermal sheet on the floor. Burrowing under the folds it just peeked its head out to watch Bee waiting for the mech to play. “Oh hey little guy where did you come from?” Bumblebee swiped at the creature playfully causing it to duck and dodge. As it growled its coat poofed and current ran along its frame. Thanks to the static cling as the creature ran away to make the chase more entertaining it took its thermal sheet with it. Bee couldn’t help but laugh at the noodler’s silly antics. Then panic overtook him. “Where did you get that thermal sheet little guy?” Bee shot up and tore the cushions off the couch looking for any signs of Knock Out. “No.” Carefully he leaned over to look underneath the couch as well. “NO. What did you do with him!” Bee knew screaming at fauna was going to get him nowhere but as it stood it was the only other living creature in the room to yell at. Bee made a mad dash for the creature and easily yanked away the blanket. The noodler leaped onto the couch and got low as it curled its long body around itself. Nothing clunked to the floor as Bee shook out the thermal sheet. He narrowed his optics at the noodler. “Come on! Are you serious?” The creature quirked its head and rolled over quickly to unwind itself. It took hours to catch and that was before it shocked Bee on high voltage and snuck out through the hole in the wall.

Laying triumphantly with the creature wrapped in a thermal sheet Bee panted and gasped for cool air and tried to ignore the smell of his fried circuits. Just as exhausted as Bee the slippery noodler had relaxed in its sheet bundle. Bee unwrapped the creature and grabbed it right under its head. The rubber grips on his digitips cutting the creature’s connection. “Alright you lost. Now let’s check.” Bee sadly prodded at a lump in the creatures tanks. It was certainly big enough but then so was a glitchrat. Bumblebee bit at his lip he didn’t want to have to kill the creature! “Why’d you go and eat Knock Out Mr. Noodler!” The Noodler quirked its head oblivious to the warrior’s woes. Bee poked at the lump again. It could definitely be a glitchrat or it could be Knock Out. “Noodler!?” Bee held the creature up with both servos and screamed at the void. The animal's forked glossia snaked out and licked at its lips. Bee groaned. He couldn’t do it, the stupid thing was too cute. He was going to have to do it the hard way. “Come on let’s go back to the apartment. I don’t want to have to chase you around again when you shock me.” Forcefully making an animal upchuck its meal. Add that to Bee’s list of life experiences.

Once he was back inside the apartment Bee groaned as he headed to washrack. He really didn’t want to do this. “You’re really lucky you’re cute.” Pulling the door open the first thing Bee noticed was the breeze coming from the open window. The second was the steaming figure looking at themselves in the cracked mirror. If Bee hadn’t been so infatuated with the young doctor he might not have recognized him. Still despite the differences he was still Knock Out just like Shockwave promised. He was taller and thinner but not by much. Bee’s optics traced along bare arms and empty peds. A sleek waist wrapped in black glass that hugged his frame. A new red and gold helm that curved as it slicked back to a razor sharp edge; pure white audials still peeking out through the sides. Wide shoulders with thin white wheels sticking out of his back. That was all Bee could see through the steam in the room but it was all it took to stun him into silence. A pale familiar face turned to Bee. He was met with brilliant gold optics lined in black and looking as weary as Bee felt. His spark dimmed at the sight. “Knock Out?”

“Hey there Bug? What’s in the sack? Did you get me a present?” Bee stared ahead blindly before the wriggling in the sack pulled him from his stupor. Seems the poor noodler was going to get to keep its meal.

“Do you want a pet? This circuit noodler is kind of cute.”

“ A what?” Knock Out released his grip on the sink and took a step towards Bumblebee. Knock Out fumbled on his new peds still not used his new frame. Bee rushed forward and grabbed him.

“It’s ok! I got you. What uh...what happened to the wheels in your peds?” Bee easily hefted the the medic up and carried him to the couch.

“All my wheels are on my back now.”

“Yeah they’re really thin. How are you going to drive on those.”

“Don’t worry they get bigger. It’s just weird because I’m used to my heels hitting the ground.”

“Yeah what are those things on your peds.”

“Thrusters. I went for a more acrobatic frame this time around. Still sturdy but lighter and faster There are so many wires in my legs now but hey worth it because I can leap across rooftops without a care now.” The medic certainly felt lightweight.

“Well let’s hope this peace lasts because if anyone decks you you’ll fly like the worst of them.”

“That’s what the thrusters are for and for you know racing.”

“Hey that’s totally cheating!”

“Oh yeah~ What you going to do about it? You uhh…..you still like it don’t you? I’ve umm..” Knock Out bit at his lower lip. “I’ve never reformed without you know...an idea in mind. Something...someone wanted me to look like you know.”

“Seriously! You?”

Knock Out laughed nervously. “Yeah. I design it myself so I know it looks good but hmm..yeah I usually have something to go off of.”

“Well I’m a little disappointed to see your earth form go since Smokescreen and I are like in love with ours but…” Bee carefully set Knock Out down on the couch. “You still look amazing Knock Out. Exhausted and still jaw dropping.” Knock Out sighed heavily and smiled.

“Well I mean were you expecting anything less?”

“Not a chance.” Bee unwrapped the wriggling bundle and held the creature out to Knock Out. “See circuit noodler. Cute right?”

“That’s a Wireviper they live in trash!”

“Yeah but it’s still cute!” Bee let the wriggling beast go and let it scamper onto Knock Out’s lap. It immediately jumped and poofed up; arcs of electrical current forming a cloud around it. The shock didn’t affect Knock Out at all. The medic calmly opened the aperture of his defibrillator and let his servo coat in electricity before zapping the creature in spite. The shock sent the Wireviper jumping but as it landed it let out the happiest squeak Bumblebee had ever heard and wildly began to nuzzle at the medic’s servo and wrap around his arm.

Knock Out's sneer fell into a weak smile. “I suppose with a bath it could be cute.”

“Are you serious! It’s like in love with you now! That’s not fair.”

“What because the trash weasel likes me better than you?”

“Uh yeah! You don’t understand the emotional turmoil I had over this noodler!” Real issues Bee! Like where he went and what in the Pit happened when while chasing that weasily slagger. “When did you reform?”

“ Earlier today, I don’t really know when. You were recharging so I went to the washrack. I must have let the beast in when I opened the window. You didn’t hear the shower running?”

“No and I thought the noodler ate you!”

“You thought it ate me!” Knock Out pursed his lips as he tried not to laugh. It didn’t work.

“IT’S NOT FUNNY! I WAS REALLY SCARED!”

Knock Out wheezed and shook as he laughed; his optics going dim. “I’m sorry Bug that’s just funnier than when I reformed for Breakdown!” Knock Out vented even more exhausted than before. He pulled his legs up and curled in on himself as his vision began to crack and fuzz.

“Are you ok?” Bumblebee reached out and rubbed the medic’s back. The new metal sensitive and smooth. Knock Out hummed from the touch.

“Just tired and hungry and dizzy and cold but I’ll be-” The smile in Knock Out’s voice cracked. “No not really.” Knock Out’s optics dimmed further.

“Let me get you some fuel!” Bee quickly went and grabbed as many energon cubes as he could carry before returning. “Here there’s plenty more so drink as much as you want.” Knock Out slowly picked one up with his talons and brought it to his lips to sip at. After draining about three his engines began to purr softly as he tried to swallow laughter. Bee sighed he was glad the other mech was still curled up tight so he couldn’t see the blush flooding his cheeks. He was trying his best afterall! “What is it?”

“This stuff tastes like slag. Is it stale?”

Bee lowered his head and turned away from Knock Out. “Yeah. I’ve been here for a pretty long time. Ratchet sort of gave up on you after a week and a half. So I ran.”

“Hmm. Thank you Bumblebee.” Knock Out grabbed another cube and sipped it despite complaining. “I used to thrive in places like this. Bombed out apartments in burning cities is where I set up shop...and usually called home for a few cycles at a time. If I got lucky I wouldn’t have to move around much.”

“Really?” Bee put the rest of the cubes on the couch next to Knock Out before quickly raiding the storage closet for another thermal sheet. He covered the medic with the three he could find keeping the one that had previously held the noodler for himself.

“Mmhmm. Long nights spent healing up as many poor slaggers as I could handle before my saws went dull. Healing up more even after that. The ones who begged and wailed. Call me dark and jaded but towards the end I thought I was being nicer by helping them go. All sparks to the Well and whatnot. Sounded like a better place to me than the hell Cybertron was. Where getting your chassis blown in half just to keep your rations was a daily threat.”

“Knock Out?” Bee pulled a random film from the shelf and quickly popped it in the player so he could sit down.

“It was super fun don’t let my whining fool you but there were sometimes….”

“I should probably call Ratchet and take you back to the ship. You really don’t sound so good.”

“Screw them!” Knock Out leaned back against Bee but the rest of his insult caught in his intake. He smiled wearily as the title screen of the movie flashed on. “Oh I love this one. It’s so stupid!”

“You’ve seen it?”

“A dozen times. I think it was really popular.” Knock Out moved to his side and rested his helm on Bee’s lap. A hot wash of excitement flooded the young warrior as he let his servo fall to lightly stroke whatever bits of Knock Out his servos could reach. “Me and Breakdown used to watch tons of crappy films and make stupid jokes and make out and hmmm. We had a really good time. Made the best of our abysmal situation.” Bee could hear the purr of exhaustion in the medics words. “Drank stale energex on cold nights. Drained solvent tanks on hot ones. Never a quiet moment between us. Mostly to drown out the screaming.”

“Do you ever miss it?”

“ All the time. So I went hungry most cycles and my circuits were fried to a crisp from insomnia and work. At least my joints never locked up like other mechs and I had plenty of time to keep myself looking my best. Plus the wounded were never ungrateful! Never! They put up a fight, and they wailed, and pleaded but in the long run someone was always thanking me.” Knock Out sighed and nestled in closer to Bee. “We should stay out here for a couple of cycles.”

“Bulkhead’s coming to get me in three cycles if I don’t come back. Like I said I’ve been out here for awhile. I left everyone pretty worried.”

“Yeah well...I turned out to be alive so they were all idiots who technically wanted me dead and I don’t feel like explaining my life story to them. Not to mention I promised you fun before that damn ceiling collapsed on me and you are going to get it. You want to have fun with me right? I just need like a cycle just to recalibrate all my systems and then I’ll be fine. You don’t mind being my servant till then right?”

Bumblebee laughed softly. “Of course I’ll take care of you Knock Out and some more time out here with you would be nice.

“I know right! Even when I am loopy from regeneration and cuddling a trash creature I am still more fun than any Autobot ever!”

“That’s a paradox then because you are an Autobot.”

“Oh no~ Black holes and rifts in time erupt around me! Nooooo!” Knock Out cried out weakly and shivered.

“Still cold?”

“Just my systems. I’m fine.”

“Promise?”

“I want you to pamper me not treat me like a new build!” Bumblebee gently grabbed at the medic’s talons as they prodded his face.

“I don’t really understand the difference.”

“It’s all intent. One’s because you love me and want to see me happy and the other is because you think I’m incompetent.”

“I don’t think you’re incompetent. I just think you’re a weeny.”

“A what?” Bee couldn’t help but laugh.

“Never mind don’t worry about it.”

“Did you insult me with a fleshling insult? I have the trust of a deadly trash beast mind you and I will sic it on you!”

“Oh no please be merciful. Not the dangerous trash beast.” Bee waved his servos dramatically.

“That’s better. Remember who you’re dealing with now.”

“I don’t think I could ever forget.” Bee vented deeply the terrible static in his spark finally gone and replaced with a dull thudding warmth. “If we want to stay out here for a bit longer than you’re going to have to prove that you’re alive and think up a good enough lie for Magnus.”

“Like snuffing a minibot.”

Bee cringed at the ex-Cons morbid phrase but laughed it off anyway. “So. What’s this movie about?”

“Primus! Where do I start?”

**Author's Note:**

> Still SU trash and I love it. I've imagined crystal transformers before SU started so this just gave me an excuse to indulge in my stupid dreams. Also wirevipers are like ferrets and rattlesnakes combined and made out of metal and electricity.


End file.
